Mumbai, October 27: Passengers narrating the shooting incident in a BEST double-decker bus on Monday said the person from Patna, holding a gun, kept on shouting that he had come to Mumbai to take on MNS chief Raj Thackeray.

One of the commuters said that the 23-year-old gunman identified as Rahul Raj, went on screaming subsequently that he had nothing against the passengers and only wanted to 'take on' Raj Thackeray.

"He (Raj) then made some passengers write in chits, and kept on dropping it from the bus stating that he had come to attack Raj Thackeray. The person also kept demanding for a mobile phone," the terrified passengers said adding that the gunman was later shot dead by the police.

Recounting the terror, another passenger, Abdul Rashid Sheikh, said, "I was sitting on the upper deck of the bus when I heard some screams... I saw this man (Raj) trying to strangle the conductor with some kind of a chain and then he let him go... After that he shot one of the passengers for no reason."

"All of us ducked down under the seat and we were very scared since we didn't know if the police was to start firing," Sheikh, an employee with a local bank and a resident of suburban Andheri, who was travelling with his wife Rafia, said.

"There were nearly 15 passengers on the upper deck of the bus. He first tried to take my wife out but then apologised to her, seeing she was woman, and said that he (Raj) would escort her out of the bus," Sheikh said.

"I refused to let her (Rafia) go since I was scared that she could be hit in any crossfire that might take place," the bank employee, who was taking his wife to visit a doctor, said.

"We then heard some sounds of shooting and later heard that he (Raj) was dead," Sheikh added.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner of Police Milind Bharambe said that the gunman repeatedly asked to speak with the City Police Commissioner and also wanted to kill Raj Thackeray.

"We found two (currency) notes, a fifty rupee and a ten rupee, on which it was written, "I only want to kill Raj Thackeray and no one else," Bharambe said.

The currency notes were recovered from near the bus when the hostage drama was unfolding.

Mumbai, Oct 27 (PTI) In a broad daylight shoot-out, a 23-year-old gun-wielding youth was killed today by police in a state transport bus after he was suspected of trying to take the passengers hostage in suburban Kurla.

The gunman identified as Rahul Raj, a resident of Patna, was sitting on the upper level of a double-decker bus with the weapon, a video released by a news channel showed.

"The man fired at the police in 'Bail' bazar area of Kurla and was shot in retaliatory fire," Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), Rakesh Maria said.

The youth was seen first threatening policemen present nearby and running up and down the bus before being shot at around 0930 hours inside a BEST bus in the northeast suburb.

A passenger, identified as Manoj Bhagat, received bullet injuries in his leg during the exchange of fire, hospital sources said.

Maria said that the police suspected that the gunman was trying to take the bus passengers hostage and "this is being verified".

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday strongly condemned the killing of a youth from the state in a shoot-out in Mumbai.

Reacting to the killing of the Patna youth Rahul Raj by the Mumbai police inside a bus on charges of intimidating passengers at gun-point, he said the police action appears more than warranted.

"Even if there was a revolver in his hand, the police could have done something targetting his hand. But it does not seem like a situation in which he should have been shot dead," he told reporters in Delhi.

However, justifying the shoot-out, Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil said whoever tries to take law into his hand and terrorise people will be dealt with sternly.

He praised the police for this action saying, "the police have carried out their duty and done a good job".

Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Home Sri Prakash Jaiswal said that the Centre has sought a report from Maharashtra government.

The 23-year-old gun-wielding youth was killed by police in a state transport bus after he was suspected of trying to take the passengers hostage in suburban Kurla.

Maharastra government has restored the Z-Category security cover to Raj Thackray after a boy from Patna,hijacked a bus in Mumbai this morning at gun point and expressed his desire to meet Raj Thackray.Mumbai Police, showing exemplary courage and alacrity shot dead the boy.Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar in a guarded statement said that the boy need not have been killed;he could have been overpowered easily.But the home minister of Maharastra thundered that the Police did the right thing and those who take law in their hands will be dealt like that only.

This type of statement reassures the citizen that those in charge of maintaining law and order are actually vigilant and the city they live in is safe.

After the arrest drama enacted by Maharastra government,Raj Thackrey's security was downgraded to Y-Category which infuriated Raj Thackray so much that he refused to accept such security and expressed that he was capable of managing his own security.The government was trying some means to mollify Raj Thackray and Rahul Raj gave them enough reason to restore Z-Category security .

Raj Thackray has done an unprecedented thing to Bihar.A divided state along the caste and creed lines,there was never seen any unity among the sections of Bihar .However they are all united against the atrocities perpetuated by Raj Thackray.He has become the hate figure and the disgust towards him can be seen and felt in the air.The ominous sign for him is that even powerful castes which had disassociated themselves in the belief that atrocities against Bihari's were directed towards those who had no social standing in the state have expressed unity as well.The poor and backward were ill treated and discriminated against in their home state also which forced them to migrate .The powerful and mighty earlier exuded confidence that they could subtly reply this Thakeray in his own den if he dared to anger them.Now all these people are actually very angry and if the situation is not controlled then in future bloody violent clashes can not be ruled out.

Not himself a saint,Abu Ajmi of Samajwadi Party had warned that the atrocities committed by Raj Thackray might give birth to terrorism.Especially when the state government and its police tried to shield a terrorist instead of arresting him .

Rahul Raj was overpowered by negative emotions against Raj Thackray and that naivety took away his life but there are tens of thousands of youth who are as angry but have not yet lost their faith in the legal system.

Rahul Raj could have harmed any innocent person but he chose not to do so only indicates that the anger is directed toward MNS not towards any average Maharashtran.Sachin Tendulkar and Lata Mangeshkar are still their god and goddess.

Politicians,oblivious of the situation are still not ready to accept the situation.The reality is that now those who abuse Raj Thackray more are likely to garner more votes.And this crescendo has developed gradually so it is not likely to dissipate very soon.

Congress and BJP are seen as the main villains who maintained deliberate silence .Congress is not present in Bihar and perhaps this has led to its inaction.BJP,did not want to lose Marathi votes.It might have been successful in its strategy but who will vote for it in Bihar now?

There is still time to redeem the situation for these national parties.They can end the theatrics and force Maharashtra governent to arrest Raj Thackray under some stringent laws which are applicable to terrorists.Otherwise to save one terrorist,these leaders can give birth to thousands of dreaded terrorists. (bihardarpan)

Reply to MNS - Bihar youth opens fire in Mumbai bus, killed by police

A youth man from Patna (in Bihar) was shot dead by the mumbai police inside a bus on Monday morning after he tried to 'hijack' a bus and then opened indiscriminate fire.

How it happens :

According to the bus passengers Rahul tried to take the passengers hostage. He was sitting on the first floor of the bus. When one of the two conductors approached him and asked him to buy a ticket he started raising slogans: Jai Bihar and Jai Patna. A heated exchange ensued and the conductor asked the driver to stop the bus near the Police Chowkie.

Rahul is a son of Kundan Pratap Singh, a teacher at Arvind Mahila College in Patna. He was reportedly in search of job in Mumbai and was very much disturbed by the anti-Bihari diatribe of Maharastra Navnirman Sena and Shiv Sena. According to media reports he even wanted to meet Raj Thackeray in this regard.

According to the Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), Rakesh Maria, the incident occurred around 10:10 am near Chowkie Number 3 near Bail Bazaar in Kurla, Central Mumbai, inside a double-decker bus of BEST, which was going from Andheri to Kurla.

The Monday morning attack has given a new twist to the whole anti-Bihari movement. (bihartimes.com)